LISTEN – Paul O’Connell on future in coaching and definition of success

Paul O’Connell on future in coaching and definition of success.

Rugby legend Paul O’Connell feels that taking a break from the game following retirement has stood to him as he looks to progress his coaching career.

The Limerick man is currently part of the Ireland U20 coaching ticket and also at underage grade with UL Bohemian.

“The technical parts of the game aren’t a struggle for me but I need to learn how to teach. I think some of the guys, certainly in the UK that have gone straight into coaching have struggled four or five years into it.”

The former lock has also been speaking about how his definition of success has changed over the years.

“I’ve learned throughout my career a different version of success than winning or losing. In my early days at Munster if we didn’t win the Heineken Cup at the end of the year we spent the summer miserable.”

O’Connell speaks of how the words of American basketball coach John Wooden helped to change his perception of the definition.

“Towards the end of my career I remember being handed a little slip of paper of John Wooden he was a brilliant basketball coach in America. I got a little slip of what his definition of success was and his definition of success is that it’s the peace of mind that comes from doing everything you can to be the best you can be and towards the end of my career I had adopted that and I had a far better attitude towards winning and losing.”